The invention relates to a user authentication system which can be utilized in the authentication of users, for example, to make it impossible for minors to buy alcohols in vending machines for alcoholic beverages.
Vending machines for selling alcoholic beverages, such as canned beers or sake, have hitherto been used. Taking measures for preventing minors from buying alcoholic beverages in these vending machines has been required.
In vending machines for alcoholic beverages and the like, an example of conventional means for preventing minors from buying alcoholic beverages is such that, prior to the purchase of an alcoholic beverage, a driver""s license is inserted into the vending machine to optically read the date of the purchaser""s birth, thereby judging whether or not the purchaser is an adult, and, only when the purchaser has been judged to be an adult, a sale permission lamp is turned on.
A system has also been studied which comprises the steps of: issuing magnetic cards provided with code numbers to adults only; in buying an alcoholic beverage in a vending machine, requiring the purchaser to insert the magnetic card into the vending machine and, in addition, to input a code number through a ten key provided in the vending machine; and turning on a sale permission lamp only when the code number of the card is identical to the number input through the ten key.
The above-described conventional systems, however, involve the following disadvantages. In the conventional system using a driver""s license, only a little more than 50% of the whole adult have the driver""s license. Therefore, a large number of adults cannot utilize the vending machine, despite the fact that they are adults. Further, buying alcoholic beverages through the utilization of a driver""s license gives a bad impression because this conjures up drunken driving.
On the other hand, in the conventional system using a magnetic card, even though the card is lost, any substantial loss hardly occurs and, in addition, the card can be simply reissued. This leads to a fear of the card being transferred to others without scruple. Consequently, cards issued to the adults only are easily transferred to minors. Therefore, disadvantageously, there is a high possibility that the authentication of users through cards makes substantially no sense. Further, for code number checking purposes, it is necessary to adopt either a method wherein a code number is written in data stored in the card and the input number is checked against the code number written in data of the card, or a method wherein code numbers are managed in a center and the input number is checked online against the code numbers managed in the center. Writing a code number directly in the card has a fear of the code number being read by others. On the other hand, the online checking disadvantageously increases communication cost.
The invention has been made with a view to solving the above problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the invention to provide a user authentication system which can be utilized by all the adults, does not conjure up drunken driving, makes it difficult for the authentication card to be transferred to others, can ensure the security through a code number and, at the same time, has little or no fear of the code number being read by others, and, in addition, does not require online communication for checking the code number.
According to the first feature of the invention, a user authentication system comprises the steps of:
issuing predetermined user cards, which have previously recorded data unique to respective cards, to proper users only;
upon the operation of a utilization object apparatus through the user card, confirming whether or not the user is a proper user through the utilization object apparatus, the utilization object apparatus comprising data reading means for reading the data unique to the user card, card identification number output means for performing certain processing of the data unique to the card read by the data reading means to output an identification number unique to the card, and number input means which can input any number; and
in the confirmation of the user, authenticating the user as a proper user only when the identification number output from the card identification number output means is identical to the number input from the number input means. By virtue of this constitution, the user authentication system can be utilized by all the adults, and does not conjure up drunken driving. This system can also ensure the security through a code number and, at the same time, has little or no fear of the code number being read by others, and, in addition, does not require online communication for checking the code number.
In the user authentication system, the user card is preferably constructed so that information, which can specify the user, is written thereon. This makes it difficult for the user card to be transferred to others.
Further, in the user authentication system, preferably, the data reading means can also read fixed data of cards other than the user card and the user is authenticated as a proper user only when the fixed data is subjected to certain processing to output an identification number unique to the card which is then found to be identical to the number input from the number input means. This enables the authentication of the user to be made through the utilization of credit cards or bank cards which the user already has.
Further, in the user authentication system, preferably, the utilization object apparatus is a vending machine which, upon selling of a product through the utilization of the user card, cumulates and stores therein a service point while associating the service point with the data unique to the user card and performs a predetermined service based on the cumulated service point. This motivates the user to store up the service point and in its turn can promote sales of products in the vending machine.